The Dark Crusade
by St-Bazza
Summary: Sequel to Church's Crusade. / A year after the events that lead to the loss of Church, a new face appears at Blood Gulch and causes a stir./ Chapter 3 has been re-written. Discontinued. Up for adoption. See final chapter
1. Prologue

This is the start of a new RvB fanfic. It is a sequel to my previous fic Chruch's Crusade and is set a year after the final events of that story. Also, the only characters in this story that I own are Penny, Anna and miscelaneous other characters that will appear during the tale. I do not own the cast of Red vs. Blue or Halo (however awesome that would be).

_**The Dark Crusade**_

Prologue

The ship hovered near the edge of the huge crater and the survey team jumped out. The officer in charge took a moment to look at the massive pit. It had clearly been here for a while for weeds and a fews small bushes had started to grow on the sides, however there was no larger vegetation, which suggested that either the crater had not been here long enough for them to grow or that the soil was unable to support them. Scattered throughout the pit were large chunks of concrete and steel, which suggested that some sort of man made structure had been here at some point.

The officer shook his head. He knew all this anyway. He was not here to look at wreckage. No, he was here to find something specific.

He turned to the members of his team and nodded. They began to move around the outside of the pit, all knowing their assigned tasks. He then looked at the soldier next to him.

"Report."

"Radiation levels are at normal levels, except right in the middle of the crater. We should be okay."

The officer nodded and turned to look out at the rest of the team. They had set up five devices which with antennae and sattelite dishes attached to them and now each group was standing at ease while one of its number worked at a terminal on the front of the machine. It was only a matter of time now.

The devices began a scanning sweet of the area. The officer looked at the picture on the terminal of the device at his postion. It was a perfect scan, showing every detail...except for large dark areas. He pointed at one and looked at the technician.

"What's this?"

"They look to be large quantities of lead sir. My guess is that they came from the walls of the main silo as a precaution."

"Well let me know if you find anything significant okay?"

"Yes sir."

The officer had just started to walk away when the tech called him.

"Sir! I think we have something."

The officer spun and stared at the screen. A human shape was coming into view. The tech looked at the figures scrolling down one side of the screen.

"Lets see. Composition, 60% steel-titanium alloy, 25% sillicone, 15% miscellaneous unknown compounds. Approxiamtely 100 meters down."

The officer looked at the image with a grin spreading over his face.

"We've found him..."


	2. An unexpected guest

#1: An unexpected guest

A year had passed.

A year since the battle at the Freelancer Support Base.

A year since O'Mally's digital clone had been defeated.

.

.

…a year since they had lost him.

Penny stood in her usual position, shaded by one of the short pillars atop Blue Base. After the battle at the base and the facility's subsequent collapse, Penny had decided to stay at Blue Base. She had to admit that for a group that were supposed to be in constant struggle with the Reds, it was surprisingly peaceful living with them. The few attacks that the Reds managed to launch finished almost as soon as they began. She wished she could say the same for the surrender negotiations. They were often long and protracted, usually resulting in humiliation for Grif. If things had been different she might even have found it funny.

There was a noise behind her and Penny turned to see the brown armoured form of Anna coming up the ramp to stand beside her. The sniper corporal was silent for a moment before speaking.

"So...lovely weather we've been having isn't it?"

Penny snorted. "I can't believe you actually tried to open a conversation by talking about the weather."

Anna pulled off her helmet with a grin on her face.

"Well I had to start somewhere didn't I?"

"So what brings you here?"

Anna shrugged. "I needed to get away from Caboose. He seems to be forming an unhealthy attachment to Sierra. Its like he thinks he has two girlfriends in one body now."

There was a flickering in the air and Sierra appeared, decked out in the Mark VI female variant armour that had become standard for the women living in Blood Gulch.

"You don't know the half of it. Every night after you go to sleep he wakes me up so that he can talk to me. It would actually be a little creepy if he wasn't so innocent."

Penny laughed at this and went back to scanning the land nearby a small movement caught her eye and she quickly grabbed the sniper rifle nearby and began to scan the area. However she could find nothing.

"What is it?" asked Anna, suddenly on alert.

Penny lowered the rifle. "Nothing. I'm probably just seeing things. Heat must be getting to me."

"You should go take a break then. I'll keep watch here." Anna gave her a light push towards the ramp and Penny started walking.

"Thanks." she called back over her shoulder.

"No problem." Anna replied as she fitted her helmet back on and turned to the watch position, rifle in hand. It was silent for several minutes and then she heard the sounds of Penny pouring herself a drink echoing up through the sky light. She smiled to herself...

Suddenly her armour went into full medical lockdown, becoming rigid so she could not even move her fingers and her HUD began to show systems deactivating. Soon her radio, motion sensors and the microphone system that allowed her to be heard through her helmet turned off. She was helpless.

She felt someone carefully laying her down and then the figure came into her field of view. He was wearing the armour similar to her own except it was electric blue with the right arm covered in what appeared to be chrome. Running from the silvery arm was a long metallic appearing tentacle. She watched as it detached itself from the back of her helmet and withdrew into his arm.

"There we go little lady. Don' go fretting, I will let yal' go soon enough, but I need to find out whats going on here. I'll be gone as soon as I can and then yal' can do as yal' please."

With that the man vanished out of sight.

Anna was panicking. She had never been in a situation where she was completely helpless before.

_Sierra!_ She screamed to the presence in her mind.

_**I'm trying to deal with this Anna, but I don't know what to do. He has locked me in as well. We really are trapped.**_

_There is really nothing we can do? My god, I hope the others are okay..._

The intruder moved carefully around to the back of the base where the tank was parked. He stood at one of the access panels and layed his hand on it, watching in satisfaction as the screws slowly began to rotate of their own accord and to fall out of the panel. He then extended the mechanical tentacle into the now open hole and stood for a moment. Then the tank activated and began to move to higher ground of its own accord.

The man sprinted to the back entrance of the base. Hearing running footsteps he stood just out of sight around the corner. Judging by the sound...two sets, one slightly lighter than the other, suggesting that one was male and the other female. He waited until the first to leave, a teal armoured soldier rushed out the door shouting at the tank. Then as the second – a yellow armoured woman ran out he stepped in behind her and slammed his fist carefully into the back of her head. She was unconscious before she hit the ground.

Hearing the sound of his comapnion hitting the ground, the teal soldier turned, just in time to have a metal tentacle drive into his chest. His armour went rigid and he slowly toppled backwards.

The intruder withdrew the tentacle and turned to the yellow soldier. He extended the tentacle and locked down her armour as well. Then as quietly as possible he slip into the base...

Caboose walked slowly down the corridor inside the base towards the kitchen. He passed Penny going the other way, who nodded. As he reached the door, he saw his goal. Because of this he could probably be forgiven for not noticing the man gripping to the ceiling of the corridor.

There it was, its surface a beautiful, chocolate-brown, the dark frosting catching the light in a way that caused the sugar crystals to glitter.

All in all it was a very tasty looking muffin.

Caboose walked into the kitchen, went to the fridge and poured himself a glass of orange juice. He then went back to the counter and was about to pull his helmet off when he saw the blue-armoured figure now standing opposite him. He stopped.

"Hello. Are you the new guy?"

The figure said nothing.

"I didn't know we were getting a new guy. Wanna be friends?"

Caboose extended his hand and the reaction was instant. The chrome covered right arm shot up and a metal tentacle wrapped around the extended arm. Caboose felt his armour lock-up and he slowly began to topple over, his still extended right arm sweeing the glass of juice and the plate holding his muffin off the counter top and onto the floor...

Penny heard the smash as the dishes hit the ground and rolled her eyes. Caboose was clearly in over his head trying to figure out how to use crockery. She turned and started back towards the kitchen. When she rounded the corner into the room she saw first Caboose lying with his arm rigidly pointing at the wall and a man in electric blue armour standing over him.

She reacted intantly, activating her Freelancer tech and becoming a high speed blur. Her opponent was ready however. As she rushed him she saw the armour on his chrome covered arm shift and change into a weapon. A spray of some sort of foam hit her chest and legs and immediately hardened, binding her legs and causing her to fall. Before she could draw a weapon the foam was covering her arms until she was completely imobilised. She looked up at her assailant as he leaned down towards her.

"Well, well, well." he remarked. "This is a surprise..."

Caboose lay where he fell staring soundlessly out of his helmet. He saw Penny enter, saw her imobilised, saw the stranger stand on _his_ muffin as he leaned down towards her.

Anger clouded his vision. His muscles tensed and a faint cracking noise could be heard...

Penny looked up at her attacker.

"Ari. What the hell are you doing here?"

The man known as Ari bowed mockingly. "Its a pleasure to see yal' as usual Penny."

"Can't say I feel the same. Stop talking like that. You weren't even born in the states. You have no reason to be talking like that."

If his face could have been seen through the visor then his smile would have slid off it like water off a duck's back.

"Well I see we are going to be serious about this then. And I was hoping to enjoy a pleasant reunion."

Penny, who had been looking about for a way to escape suddenly smiled and looked up at him.

"Sucks to be you."

"What do you mean-" That was all he got out before a blue gauntletted fist smashed into his head and sent him flying across the room to smash into the wall. He slid slowly down lay in a crumpled heap on the floor.

Penny looked at her saviour. Caboose was standing there taking deep steadying breaths. From the looks of his armour, every joint between the pieces had shattered under his awesome strength.

"Thank you Caboose, now can you help me out of this gunk?"

Several minutes and three bottle of industrial grade solvent later and they had freed the others. They gathered around the figure who sat tied to a chair in the bases detention area (usually used to store Caboose's muffin supply).

"So who is he?" Tucker asked.

"His name is Ari Einrich." Penny answered. "Also known as Freelancer Arizona..."


	3. Ghosts of the fallen

#2: Ghosts of the fallen

There was a long silence before Tucker spoke again.

"Another Freelancer? Am I the only one getting feelings of deja vu here?"

"No I am seeing it too." said Sigma as he shimmered into being. "Look Penny, thats the same chair and even the same ropes that they used when you first got here."

"Look this is very nostalgic discussing furniture and all that." said Anna, "But could we get back to the matter at hand? We have _another _Freelancer in the canyon, and all the previous ones have heralded some sort of conflict. So I think we should all hear what Penny has to say about this one before he wakes up."

Everyone turned to Penny at this and she took a deep breath before beginning to speak.

"There is a lot you have heard about Project Freelancer, but there is still far more you do not and hopefully will never know. I won't go into too much detail, but you need to understand a few things. The Project took exceptional individuals from all areas of the millitary and put them through rigorous training. We were supposed to work as a cohesive unit."

Penny sighed, "However when you put that many talented people together there is bound to be some friction within the group. Those of us who were deemed unable to work with the larger force were split off into splinter groups. North Dakota and South Dakota were one. Washington was placed into a separate group after an...incident with his A.I. Epsilon. Tex, well she rarely worked with anyone, except possibly York and Wyoming was simillar. Me, I was paired with Ari. Our abilities complimented each other, especially for infiltration missions." Her eyes clouded with the memory.

"What was his power, his armour's ability?" asked Tucker.

"Ari's ability was eletromagnetic manipulation. He can lift large metallic objects with ease as long as he touches them. He can also use this to throw them great distances if necessary.. When coupled with his more mundane abilities this makes him formidable indeed."

"Mundane abilities?" This came from Sister at almost the same time as Caboose saying, "But it is not Monday, it is Saturday."

Penny ignored Caboose and looked at Sister, "Ari was not recruited to the program for his combat expertise, though that is above the level of a normal soldier. He was recruited for his technical skills. He can make almost anything he could need out of the components in that prosthetic arm of his, including weapons. On top of that, he is an expert coder. He can make viruses and other programs for almost any task in no time at all."

"Who was his A.I.?" asked Anna.

"Sho, although Ari does not have a A.I. in the same way that the other Freelancers do. His relationship with Sho was...closer."

"Closer? In what way?"

"Micro-chips hardwired into all major thought centers of his brain then directly linked into his suit. Basically, he and Sho are one in the same. It was an experimental procedure and the results were somewhat unstable. Ari's disregard for the rules and general lack of morals were combined with Sho's artificial logic. It's a volatile combination."

Tucker looked at the man worriedly. "So why does he not like you?"

Penny shrugged, "I reported that he was stealing money and tech from the Project and got him sent to military prison for a few years."

"Prison huh?" said Tucker, looking at Ari nervously, "So how do you think he is going to react when he wakes up?"

"Well, first I am going to hack her armour and make it break every bone in her body. And then the real fun begins." Everyone turned to look at the man sitting tied in the chair. He squirmed about in the seat, as though trying to shift his arms, then looked at Penny with badly suppressed anger. "What the fuck gives?"

"You didn't really think I would let you keep access to all your tools did you Ari? I removed the power supplies to both your armour and your prosthetic."

"You fucking bitch!"

"Temper, temper." This comment came from Sigma.

"Oh shut the fuck up Sparkles, I don't need your input!"

Tucker stifled a laugh at the name 'Sparkles' and Sigma shook his head, a frown on his face.

"Eight years since we saw you last and you haven't matured one bit."

"Oh cry me a fucking river. Now fucking tell your leash-holder to untie me."

"You know for someone who is a genius with computers Ari, you are really not that bright." said Penny, "You said just before that you were going to break my bones and probably torture me. Do you really think that would encourage me to listen to you?"

Ari huffed but said nothing to this.

"As fascinating as this is, could we get to the part where we find out why the fuck he is here?" This came from Sierra, who had chosen this moment to appear in a form six inches high that was sitting on Anna's shoulder.

Ari looked at her in surprise, "Another Freelancer? I've never seen you before. What is your designation?"

Before Anna could reply, Penny cut in. "She is Freelancer Alaska."

Ari shook his head, "Bull-shit. Alaska was a forty year old man with a liking for table-tenis and a heroine addiction."

"Obviously you haven't stayed up to date then Ari. Alan Theodore, the original Alaska, died of an overdose three years into your incarceration. This is his replacement, Annabelle Sharpe.

"When I hacked your armour, I didn't notice any Freelancer tech. Where is your's?"

Anna reacted this time. "It was damaged in a training exercise recently. It needs to be repaired before we reinstall it."

Ari sat back satisfied at this explanation and looked at Sierra. "I am here, Little Sparkle, because this canyon seems very important to certain individuals I have encountered recently. I don't know why, but when I saw Pensylvania I assumed she would have something to do with it."

"So why didn't you approach us like normal people?"

Ari shrugged, "I was out for a little revenge."

Penny raised her hand to still any further conversation, "Who were these 'individuals'?"

"Soldiers. Well equipped and very determined. I hacked their systems and found references to something called 'The Monastary Initiative'. The files said it had it's roots in this canyon."

"Could you see anything distinctive about the forces? Colours? Insignia?"

"Yeah, a grey helmet, red horns with a-"

"Blue flame background." finished Anna. Everyone looked at her. She reached to a hip compartment on her armour and pulled out a ragged patch of cloth bearing the insignia they had just mentioned. "This is the insignia of the Wraithborn Mercenary Army, the group Paul, Rourke and I were a part of. It's the only thing I kept from my uniform. Something to remember those we lost."

"Okay so we know its Rieke's lot then." said Tucker, "Why are they coming here?"

Penny got a sinking feeling in her stomach, "Isn't it obvious? Ari said it was 'The Monastary Initiative'. What is a monastary if not a church? It has to be him."

Tucker looked at her as though she were mad. "You're not seriously suggesting...you saw the facility yourself. There is no way he could have survived."

"Well there is one way to find-out. Ari, was there anyone among the mercs who stood out? Wore armour like ours maybe."

"Why would that make them stand out? There are entire companies in armour like this, brown, with black claw marks on helmets and right shoulders."

Anna whistled, "Devastators. Thats bad news."

"It gets better. They are lead by a guy in light blue armour. He is worse than the lot of them. I suppose he might be the one you thought would stand out."

Tucker nodded. "Thats the one."

"Who is he?"

After a long moment, Sierra was the one who replied. "A ghost..."


	4. Return of the lost

**A/N: slightly ashamed of how long this took. Anyway, here it is.**

#3: Return of the lost

"A ghost? Thats rich. Next you will be telling me that Santa and the Easter Bunny are real."

Caboose looked startled. "Their not?"

"Never mind Caboose,' said Anna, 'Go play with your colouring book."

"Okay Anna." Caboose wandered over to a crate with a worn book on top of it. He raised his rifle and emptied several rounds at the crate, causing half melted crayons to splat against it. He then proceeded to fill out the pictures contained within.

"So who is this guy really?" asked Ari.

"Like Sierra said, a ghost." replied Penny.

"Yeah, well we both know thats bullshit don't we?"

"Why are you so closed to the idea?"

"There is no credible scientific evidence that ghosts exist."

"Was there any evidence that an A.I. could be integrated with a human mind before they tried it with you?"

Ari looked sullen, but answered nonetheless. "No."

"So how can you be so certain that they don't exist?"

"I just don't believe it is possible okay? People die, thats the end of it. They don't hang around."

"Well this guy did.' said Tucker, "His name is Church and he was stationed here for several months. Then Caboose killed him."

"Not my fault. Tucker did it."

"Shut up. Anyway then he came back as ghost, got a new body built for him and things went back to normal."

"For a given value of 'normal'." added Penny.

"Exactly."

"Okay...how did he end up at the head of this invading army then?" asked Ari.

Tucker smiled, "That, my hostage, is a long story involving machine-human love triangles, talking bombs and an alien pregnancy. Where shall I start?"

"Just give me the short version and remind me not to eat or drink anything here that has not been thoroughly steralised first."

Tucker grinned and began his story, "So it all started when Church and I were having a discussion about how many chicks you can pick up in a tank-"

"Seven." said Ari.

"-and Caboose- what?"

"The math is quite clear. In a tank with a standard setup you can pick up seven chicks, assuming that the day is fine, alcohol is not present and you are not paying any of them."

"What! Come on it has to be at least nine!"

"No, it is seven."

"Could we please focus on the matter at hand?" Penny snarled.

"Oh right. So we we were discussing how many chicks you could pick up in a tank when Caboose told us that the general had picked up the flag..."

**Two very detailed hours later...**

"...and then we left after the funeral and that is all we know." finished Tucker.

"Right. So you're saying that Penny here thought it would be a good idea to copy Omega? Well if my hands were free I would be clapping right now."

"Oh shut up."

"No seriously. Why, what could be better than creating a duplicate of the most homicidal mind on the planet? It just promises to be a barrel of fucking laughs."

"Look, you wanted us to tell you what we knew about this and we have." said Anna. "Now that that is out of the way we have to decide what to do with you."

"Just untie me already." said Ari, glancing at Penny. "I promise to play nice."

Anna looked at Penny, who nodded. She went over to Ari and loosened the ropes that bound him.

The blue clad Freelancer stood and rubbed his left wrist with his prosthetic right limb, then looked around at the assembled Blues. "So I guess we are allies then. Fun, oh fucking fun. Well we had best get started." He strode out of the base and took the ramp to the roof as the others followed behind them. There he lifted his right arm and pressed a sequence of buttons on a keypad on his wrist.

"What are you doing?" asked Tucker.

"Just calling my transportation."

"You still have Juranda?" said Penny.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I?"

"I don't know. It's just been a long time I guess."

"That answer is completely illlogical. Why should time make a difference?"

"Can we move past this?" said Anna as the his of jet engines approached.

Tucker looked about in confusion. "I don't see this transport of yours."

Ari and Penny shared a knowing glance. Ari pressed a button on his arm and a boarding ramp folded out of thin air and settled with a soft crunch on Tucker's left foot. Amid Tucker's yells of pain, the rest of the ship appeared. It was clearly built along simillar lines to the standard Pelican drop ship. Except for the stealth system and the fact that the troop hold had been enlarged and filled with a large assortment of worktops, machine parts and computer systems. Along the side of the craft had been printed the name _Juranda, _followed by a rough depiction of a white lotus flower.

Ari motioned in a mocking gesture of welcome. "Come aboard."

"Sir, you are not going to like this." said Simmons as he lowered the sniper rifle. "It looks like the Blues have a new guy. And a ship with stealth capabillities."

"Why those cunning Blue devils. Truely their treachery is limitless."

"I don't know whether you can really call it treachery. I mean they are on the other team aren't they?" said Grif.

"Clearly you are incapable of understanding the full depths of their treachery. Not really that surprising. Dirtbag."

Donut looked between the two of them. "So what does this mean for us Sar-" There was a faint whistling noise and Donut stopped talking, reaching to the back of his neck and pulling out a dart. He stared at it for a moment before slumping sideways.

"What the hell?" yelled Simmons before a dart smacked into the weak point at the waist of his armour and he went down. The next dart hit Sarge in the small of the back. Grif spun around as the other two collapsed, looking for his attacker. He backed up in shock as a blue armoured figure stepped out from among the rocks, raised a rifle and fired a dart into his crotch.

"Goddammit!" muttered Grif as darkness closed over him.

As the Blues stepped into the ship, Penny strode immediately over to a holographic projector, clasped her hands in front of her chest and bowed deeply.

The projector flickered into life and an image of an aged and bearded brown-skinned man, clad in just a loin cloth and sitting cross legged appeared in mid-air.

"Pensylvania." The image smiled fondly. "It has been far too long."

Penny smiled in return. "Hello, Juranda. I appologise for my long absence."

"There was nothing to be done, dear girl. Think nothing of it. When we have the leisure, you and Sigma will have to regale me with the thrilling details of your most recent adventures." He glanced at Ari. "However I sense that now is not the time for such luxury. What have you and Arizona gotten us into this time?"

"We have a ship to infiltrate and an army to stop."

"So the usual then. How do you intend to do it?"

Ari walked to a case and pulled something out.

"With this."


	5. An infiltration exercise

**A/N:** Long overdue, but here is the next piece of the fic. All reviews are appreciated (though not necessarily enough to get a reply).

#4: An infiltration exercise

"Oh hell no!" exclaimed Penny. "We are not using that thing again."

"Why are you so against the idea?" asked Ari.

"The last time I used one of these I had one of my arms sprouting out of my back!"

"I have fine tuned it since then." Ari protested. "It should work perfectly."

"Yeah well thats what you said the first time."

Anna took a closer look at the device in Ari's hand. It appeared to be an oversized sniper round, however the seams along the length of the round suggested that it could open out into something else.

"What exactly is this?" she asked.

"It is a single use teleportation device. We launch this into the hangar of their flagship and then Penny uses it to get aboard. From there she can find out how they are controlling your friend and why they are here. Then we can make plans to stop them."

"A fair plan, but how are we going to get close enough to shoot it? Standard operating procedure for the Wraithborn is that all ships remain outside the atmosphere unless an orbital bombardment is ordered. I think we can all agree that that is not something we want."

"Agreed." said Ari. "But we do not need to bring the ship into the atmosphere. Juranda, have you completed the scans?"

The image of Juranda appeared above the table. "Indeed I have Arizona." He held up a hand and an image of the standard issue Blue Army soldier's armour appeared above it. "All units are equipped with the necessary equiopment for a forty minute stint in full vacuum, though the one in standard blue appears to have a slow leak from his left O2 tank. From an analysis of the leaking gas it appears that the oxygen has been replaced with helium, though for what reason I cannot fathom."

"It helps to make the squeeky voice!" chimed in Caboose.

"...I see." said Ari after a pause.

"Wait." said Tucker. "Why would any of us need to go into vacuum?"

"I can't believe we're doing this." groaned Tucker.

"Quit complaining." said Ari. "You didn't want to go for a jaunt in zero-gravity and I needed help carrying the gear. So here you are."

He was standing on top of Blue base. Ari was working several large pieces of scanning equipment that he had assemble from components taken from his ship and Blue Team's microwave. Long streams of figures scrolled down the screen. Ari checked them twice, then activated his radio.

"Juranda, I have the flagship's location. Sending coordinates now. Wait for my signal before you make your move."

"Roger Arizona. Awaiting your command."

Ari flicked off his radio and checked the signals from the various missile drones he had stationed around the canyon. All reported active and all were tracking a different aircraft or land vehicle.

"Pelican passing overhead." Tucker reported.

"Roger that." Replied Ari, before walking to where Tucker stood among the rocks and shouldering a rocket launcher.

"Juranda." He said as he carefully sighted on the pelican's rear engine. "Opening the hangar doors now." He pulled the trigger and the rocket fired.

Anna, Penny, Sister and Caboose stood in the cramped cockpit of Juranda. A stealth field surrounded the ship, keeping them hidden from prying eyes.

Just as well. Given that they now floated just a few kilometers from the Wraithborn flagship, _Eleventh Hour_, prying eyes was something there was an over abundance of.

"Are you sure this is a safe distance Juranda?" asked Penny as she looked at the massive cruiser before her.

"As sure as I can be Pensylvania. I would need to be a lot closer for my own scanning system to be effrective, but the information provided by Miss Sharpe would suggest that we are at least three hundred meters outside of their maximum scanning range."

Penny nodded at this and returned her gaze to the view through the cockpit window. The space between them and the ship was filled with small strike craft, all of which were flying overlapping patrol routes.

It looked like it would be a hell of a task getting aboard.

The radio crackled to life and Ari's voice came through. "Juranda. Opening the hangar doors now." His words were followed by the faint whoosh of a rocket launcher being fired.

They waited a moment before Juranda reported, "I am tracking a marked increase in radio traffic between the fleet and the forces in the canyon. The ground forces report a largescale assault and are requesting reinforcements. Fleet command is complying."

Across the space they saw the hangar of the _Eleventh Hour_ open and a dozen ships began to emerge.

"Ari." Juranda reported. "Hangar is open."

"Then you are go. Good luck."

"Roger. Good luck to you."

With that, the whole ship shot toward the cruiser. After a few moments warning lights began to blink on the control console. Juranda's voice filled the cockpit.

"We have been detected and are currently being tracked. Fighters have been sent to dispatch us."

"That's it everyone." said Penny. "To your places."

Everyone moved into the rear compartment. As they did, various shields dropped over the sensitive machinery and a rack loaded with weapons dropped down from the ceiling. Anna walked over and pulled out an oversized sniper rifle and looked at Penny. "You certain this will work?"

"Positive. That rifle uses linear induction, the same as a MAC, gun just on a smaller scale. It should work far better in a vacuum than your usual gas powered rifle.

"Whatever you say." Anna loaded the teleporter module into the rifle as the others picked up rocket launchers. She then lay on her belly on the floor of the cabin, rifle pointing to the rear door. Once she was in place metal bands rose from the floor to lock in place over her legs and her back holding her firmly in place.

"Fighters are almost upon us." reported Juranda.

"Everyone strap in." said Penny, attaching a safety line to her waist and pulling the teleporter sender module onto her back. The small craft rocked from hit against it's shields. "Strap in _quickly._" she ammended.

Everyone attached their lines and then Penny hit a switch, beside her, causing the rear of the cockpit to slowly open.

"You know the drill." said Penny. "Give Anna enough cover to make the shot then get the hell ot of here."

Everyone nodded and as the first fighter came into view Sister fired off the first rocket. The projectile raced out, but missed as the small strike craft rolled out of the way, before returning fire.

Soon everyone was firing and several ships were reduced to burning hulks.

"We are approaching the target area." reported Juranda.

Anna flicked a swithc and began charging the magnetic coils of her rifle. A deep thrumming noise began to emanate from the rifle.

"Prepare to come about in 5...4...3...2...1." Juranda suddenly swung the ship into a tight turn until the rear hatch was directly facing the open hangar.

The sudden movement threw the passengers against their safety lines. Penny and Caboose's lines held. Sister's line stretched...and snapped, hurling her out of the craft and into space. Caboose lunged after her but was brought up short by the line. Penny grabbed him and dragged him back, fearing his line might snap as well.

"Caboose there is nothing you can do! We have to finish what we came for. Anna, take the shot!"

Anna squeezed the trigger and the teleporter module sped from the rifle and into the hanger, attaching itself to a wall.

"Good luck." said Penny. And with that she cut her line, leaped clear of the ship and was gone in a wash of yellow light.


	6. AN: An ending

_**Author's Note**_

I am well aware that a new update is not meant to be an author's note in it's entirety, but I have something I wish to say.

I am discontinueing the Dark Crusade.

I know there are a lot of people who still want to read this, as evidenced by the fact that I am still getting emails informing me of people adding it to their favourite story lists and to their alerts list, but I find, more and more that I just do not have the drive for this story that I once did.

When I finished Church's Crusade, I had enjoyed writing it so much that I wanted to keep going with the same characters. New challenges and new adventures, hurrah. But now writing it has come to feel like a chore and I have put too much effort into this work in the past to degrade it by adding in the chapters that would be produced at this point. I look at what I try to write for it now and I find myself cringing, both physically and figuratively.

The chapters I have already released will stay up on for now and anyone who has an interest in continueing this story themselves may contact me about it via PM. I am not saying that I will definitely give permission, but the option is there.

Thank you for the support of all of you who have followed this story, your enthusiasm and criticism have helped me become a better writer I feel.

This will not be the last you see of me on , but for now a fond fairwell.

Sincerely,

Bayard Dylan Shewan Ferguson. (St-Bazza)


End file.
